Sheppey United are facing competition to sign up marksman Warren Mfula for another season.

Mfula’s goals helped the Ites in their late Isthmian South East play-off charge and he ended the season with 28 to his name.

Boss Jack Midson is keen to have him on board again next year but knows others are interested, too.

“There are a few clubs that want him,” said Midson.

“It would be nice to see him back playing for Sheppey, but you can only do so much that is in your control.

“He is a natural goalscorer, I am glad he came back after a bit of time out, he helped us for that play-off push.

“You want goalscorers, you want to secure your goalkeeper and your striker, they are important, the catalyst to keeping you clean sheets and scoring you some goals.”

Goalkeeper Aiden Prall has signed a contract amid interest from others.

“You are a victim of your own success,” said Midson.

“If you are a goalkeeper who keeps a load of clean sheets or a goalscorer people are going to want them.

“You like to think that if they move on they move to a higher level and better for their development, but everyone has their own agenda so we will see what pans out.”

Prall was No.1 for the Ites last season, keeping 12 clean sheets in 47 games.

He was a priority signing for Midson as he puts his key men on contracts. Club captain Richie Hamill has also agreed to stay for another season - his fifth for Sheppey.

Defender Lekan Majoyegbe is another Midson is keen to get signed up, while all of the squad have been invited back to pre-season with a clean slate.

Speaking about his goalie, Midson said: “Clubs have been coming in for him.

“We would never stand in his way if a club comes from high up and he wants to go but I wanted to secure my goalkeeper and we’ve managed it.

“He is a great guy, really nice, probably the most normal goalkeeper I have known.

“He’s good for the other lads who are here, the No.2 and good goalkeepers joining the academy and training alongside him.

“He is a very loyal person but naturally people’s heads do get turned. He has expressed no reason to leave, he wanted to stay and I needed to secure my goalkeeper.

“We had interest and there were a couple of seven-dayers put in for him last season. We dealt with it, gave him permission to talk to the clubs if he wanted but he is staying with us.”

Hamill was the fourth player to pen a new deal, following Frankie Morgan and Danny Leonard.

Midson said: “Richie Hamill is a good player to secure, we missed him when he was injured. He is not the shouty and screamy captain, but people respect him. At every club players move on, you try and keep some consistency to what we built last year.

“Richie is someone who has been at the club for a while, knows what is needed in those derbies like against Sittingbourne and the fans love him.”